DERBY — A 19-year-old vape shop employee has been charged with five drug offenses after police say he was found with illegal amounts of cannabis and cannabis-related products.

Alzubair Kaid, no hometown provided, was charged Nov. 12 with operating a drug factory, two counts of possession with intent to sell cannabis, and two counts of possession of cannabis.

Derby police and the state Department of Consumer Protection had been investigating Zaza Smoke Shop at 49 Pershing Drive for allegedly selling cannabis without state authorization. Police say they found roughly six pounds of illegal cannabis inside the store, along with about 39 pounds of cannabis-related products. Authorities allege Kaid was working at the shop when the items were discovered and told officers he did not know the products were illegal.

Officials say the store was closed after the discovery. Police say Kaid returned later the same day carrying two large bags that contained about 11 bags of cannabis and four pounds of cannabis-related products. He was arrested and is due in court Nov. 20.

Police previously arrested Zaza employees in September and October 2024. In the October 2024 arrest, employee Ibrahim Elhadje of Danbury was charged with possession of a controlled substance, operating a drug factory, and possession with intent to sell; an online court database shows his case has been on the docket 10 times and that an order for his re-arrest was issued Sept. 11.

A September 2025 raid led to the arrests of Hamda Alawdi, 25, and Abdelkader Brahim, 25. Court records show Brahim’s case has been on the docket three times; he has not entered a plea and is due in court Jan. 8, 2026. The same is true for Alawdi, according to court records.

Earlier this year, the Derby Planning and Zoning Commission voted to ban the opening of new vape shops anywhere in the city.